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xml schema article (#36749)
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‎docs/relational-databases/xml/xml-schema-collections-sql-server.md‎

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- Create a table that contains an **xml** data type column to store your XML schemas and also load them into the XML type system. You can query the XML column by using the **xml** data type methods. Also, you can build an XML index on this column. However, with this approach, the application must maintain consistency between the XML schemas stored in the XML column and the XML type system. For example, if you drop the XML schema namespace from the XML type system, you also have to drop it from the table in order to preserve consistency.
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## See also
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## Related content
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- [View a Stored XML Schema Collection](../../relational-databases/xml/view-a-stored-xml-schema-collection.md)
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- [Preprocess a Schema to Merge Included Schemas](../../relational-databases/xml/preprocess-a-schema-to-merge-included-schemas.md)
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- [Requirements and Limitations for XML Schema Collections on the Server](../../relational-databases/xml/requirements-and-limitations-for-xml-schema-collections-on-the-server.md)
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- [XML schema collections in SQL projects](../../tools/sql-database-projects/concepts/xml-schema-collection.md)

‎docs/t-sql/statements/create-xml-schema-collection-transact-sql.md‎

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- [EVENTDATA (Transact-SQL)](../functions/eventdata-transact-sql.md)
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- [Compare typed XML to untyped XML](../../relational-databases/xml/compare-typed-xml-to-untyped-xml.md)
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- [Requirements and limitations for XML schema collections on the server](../../relational-databases/xml/requirements-and-limitations-for-xml-schema-collections-on-the-server.md)
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- [XML schema collections in SQL projects](../../tools/sql-database-projects/concepts/xml-schema-collection.md)

‎docs/toc.yml‎

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href: tools/sql-database-projects/concepts/system-objects.md
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- name: Target platform
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href: tools/sql-database-projects/concepts/target-platform.md
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- name: XML schema collections
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href: tools/sql-database-projects/concepts/xml-schema-collection.md
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- name: Data tier applications
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href: tools/sql-database-projects/concepts/data-tier-applications/overview.md
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‎docs/tools/sql-database-projects/concepts/xml-schema-collection.md‎

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---
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title: SQL Projects XML Schema Collections
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description: "Automatic generation of XML schema collections in SQL database projects."
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author: dzsquared
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ms.author: drskwier
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ms.reviewer: maghan, randolphwest
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ms.date: 03/03/2026
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ms.service: sql
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ms.subservice: sql-database-projects
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ms.topic: concept-article
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ai-usage: ai-assisted
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ms.collection:
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- data-tools
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---
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# XML schema collections in SQL projects
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[!INCLUDE [SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance FabricSQLDB](../../../includes/applies-to-version/sql-asdb-asdbmi-fabricsqldb.md)]
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SQL database projects support automatic generation of XML schema collection objects from XSD (XML Schema Definition) files. When you include an XSD file in your project with the appropriate metadata, the build process creates a `CREATE XML SCHEMA COLLECTION` statement that you can use to enforce XML data validation in your database.
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XML schema collections provide typed XML columns in SQL Server, enabling the database engine to validate XML data against defined schemas and optimize query performance.
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## Configure XSD files in the project
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To generate an XML schema collection from an XSD file, add a `Build` item to your project file (`.sqlproj`) with two required metadata elements:
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- **RelationalSchema**: The database schema where the XML schema collection is created (for example, `dbo`)
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- **XMLSchemaCollectionName**: The name of the resulting XML schema collection object in the database
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The following example shows how to configure an XSD file in a SQL project:
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```xml
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
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<Project DefaultTargets="Build">
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<Sdk Name="Microsoft.Build.Sql" Version="2.1.0" />
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<PropertyGroup>
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<Name>MyDatabase</Name>
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<DSP>Microsoft.Data.Tools.Schema.Sql.Sql170DatabaseSchemaProvider</DSP>
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<ModelCollation>1033, CI</ModelCollation>
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</PropertyGroup>
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<ItemGroup>
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<Build Include="OrderSchema.xsd">
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<RelationalSchema>dbo</RelationalSchema>
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<XMLSchemaCollectionName>OrderSchemaCollection</XMLSchemaCollectionName>
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</Build>
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</ItemGroup>
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</Project>
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```
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## XSD file example
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The XSD file defines the structure that XML data must follow. The following example defines a schema for an `Order` element containing one or more `Item` elements:
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```xml
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<xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
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<xs:element name="Order">
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<xs:complexType>
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<xs:sequence>
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<xs:element name="Item" type="xs:string" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
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</xs:sequence>
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</xs:complexType>
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</xs:element>
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</xs:schema>
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```
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When the project builds, this XSD file generates a `CREATE XML SCHEMA COLLECTION` statement that creates the `OrderSchemaCollection` object in the `dbo` schema.
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## Use typed XML columns
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After the XML schema collection is defined, reference it in table definitions to create typed XML columns. Typed XML columns validate data against the schema and improve query performance.
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The following example creates a table with a typed XML column that uses the generated schema collection:
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```sql
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CREATE TABLE dbo.Orders (
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Id INT PRIMARY KEY,
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OrderData XML(dbo.OrderSchemaCollection)
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);
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```
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When you insert data into the `OrderData` column, SQL Server validates the XML against the `OrderSchemaCollection` schema. Invalid XML that doesn't conform to the schema is rejected.
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## Related content
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- [XML schema collections (SQL Server)](../../../relational-databases/xml/xml-schema-collections-sql-server.md)
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- [XML data (SQL Server)](../../../relational-databases/xml/xml-data-sql-server.md)
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- [Project properties](project-properties.md)

‎docs/tools/sql-database-projects/howto/add-existing-files-to-sql-project.md‎

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The Import from Script process doesn't incorporate Pre/Post-Deployment scripts, SQLCMD variables, or RefactorLog files. These and any other unsupported constructs that are detected on import are placed in a ScriptsIgnoredOnImport.sql file in a Scripts folder in your project.
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## XSD files
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SQL projects also support importing XSD files to generate XML schema collections in the database. For more information on how to configure XSD files in a SQL project, see [XML schema collections in SQL projects](../concepts/xml-schema-collection.md).
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## Related content
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- [Tutorial: start from an existing database](../tutorials/start-from-existing-database.md)

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